Life-saving and fortune-costing: T-shirts around the world

In Botswana the Francistown Voice newspaper has launched a ground-breaking campaign to destroy the silence and shame that surround the spread of HIV and AIDS in Africa. The Voice is challenging its readers to undergo an HIV test, whether or not they think they are at risk of the disease, to show unity in the battle against HIV and AIDS. As a reward for undergoing the process of testing, everybody who comes forward for the test will be featured in the paper, allowing them to pass on their own views about HIV and AIDS and will be given the a special T-shirt as a token of appreciation from the newspaper and its partners. The T-shirts will bear a special (yet to be decided) message on the front and back, along with the red ribbon that is recognized worldwide as the HIV symbol.

The project follows the successful launch of Botswana’s HIV and AIDS policy in the workplace, which guides journalists when reporting on HIV and AIDS, and aims to avoid stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV&AIDS.

Meanwhile, in Adelaide, the most expensive T-shirt in Australia has been unveiled at $1000. The skull print T-shirt has been imported, of course, and originated with Canadian label Dom Rebel. It’s sprinkled 1080 handset Swarovski crystals. Sort of like a portable Damien Hirst skull then except that one cost £50 million … even so, it’s quite a jump from the cost of an average Australian T-shirt – between $25 and $80, but the boutique that has purchased the shirt for retail is confident that it will sell. Or, as one of the boutique owners put it, ‘Our males shop just as much as girls and we are becoming more like Melbourne guys.’